HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Dauphin County woman accused of orchestrating her husband's fiery death in 2022 has been convicted of second-degree murder, aggravated arson and arson, prosecutors said.
The jury deliberated for 45 minutes before returning a guilty verdict against Evelyn Henderson, 68, who was accused of killing her 84-year-old husband, Carmen, on June 16, 2022.
Senior Judge Charles H. Saylor will sentence Evelyn Henderson on May 14, 2024.
Carmen Henderson's charred body was found on the back patio of the couple's home, police said at the time.
Evelyn Henderson told police she thought her husband had committed suicide, but investigators found inconsistencies in her story about how her husband died.
Investigators noted that Carmen Henderson appeared to be naked, and evidence at the scene indicated his death was not recent.
Evelyn Henderson reportedly changed her story multiple times, later telling investigators that her husband's death was an accident, not a suicide. She also altered the timeline of events, according to police.
Police stated that she eventually "settled" on the following account: At 3 p.m. the previous day, she looked outside and saw her husband was on fire but still alive, sitting in a folding camp chair with the lower legs of his pants on fire. He called to her for help, and she picked up the phone to call 911, but then put it back down without calling. Henderson could not explain why she didn't call 911 right away, according to the complaint.
Further investigation determined the Hendersons were in severe debt, owing at least $40,000 on a second mortgage, the complaint states.
Evelyn Henderson allegedly admitted to spending all their money on vacation homes, spa treatments, and other activities. Her mismanagement of funds caused the couple's business, Henderson Limousine Service, to go bankrupt, she told police.
Additionally, the Hendersons were allegedly delinquent on their taxes, and the sheriff's office was about to seize their home, she reported.
She also said Carmen Henderson would be able to live with his children from a previous marriage once the couple lost their home, but she would not be welcome to live with the children, according to the complaint.
Henderson admitted she had a $10,000 life insurance policy on her husband, police say in the complaint.
An investigation by the Dauphin County Fire Investigation Team determined it was "improbable" that Carmen Henderson could have been responsible for starting the fire that killed him by smoking a cigar, as Evelyn Henderson claimed.
